After dropping the series opener at T-Mobile Park and seeing their season-best seven-game winning streak come to an end, the Los Angeles Dodgers look for a split with the Seattle Mariners in the finale.
Should they fall short, the Dodgers technically will suffer their first series loss of the season. Of course, with L.A. and Seattle essentially playing a four-game home and home, it could be reasoned the sweep at Dodger Stadium has the Dodgers in position to at minimum split.
They enter play with the best record in baseball at 18-8, a half-game ahead of the Oakland Athletics. The Dodgers also are an MLB-best 7-1 in Interleague play this season.
Clayton Kershaw makes his fourth start of the 2020 campaign. He enters with a 2-1 record, 2.65 ERA, 4.61 FIP and 0.82 WHIP in 17 innings on the year, having struck out 18 batters against three walks.
Kershaw was dominant in his most recent outing against the L.A. Angels, allowing just one run on one hit with six strikeouts over seven innings pitched.
He last faced the Mariners in 2018, picking up a win after yielding just one run across seven innings of work. In three career starts against Seattle, he owns a perfect 3-0 record with a 2.70 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 20 innings.
The Mariners counter with Yusei Kikuchi, who looks to bounce back from a shaky start against the Colorado Rockies. He allowed six hits and four runs in 5.2 innings, striking out three and walking one.
Kikuchi is 0-1 with a 5.28 ERA, 2.23 FIP and 1.30 WHIP in 15.1 innings this season (three starts). He has never faced the Dodgers and owns an 0-1 record with a 5.52 ERA in three career Interleague appearances.
Mookie Betts again is slotted leadoff in the Dodgers lineup, but he’s followed by AJ Pollock. Corey Seager is being given a day off, with Chris Taylor starting at shortstop.
Justin Turner enters with a 13-game hitting streak and Austin Barnes has hit safely in seven consecutive games.
Dodgers lineup
RF: Mookie Betts
LF: AJ Pollock
3B: Justin Turner
CF: Cody Bellinger
SS: Chris Taylor
1B: Max Muncy
2B: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
DH: Matt Beaty
Mariners lineup
LF: Sean Haggarty
SS: Dylan Moore
DH: Kyle Lewis
3B: Kyle Seager
1B: Austin Nola
RF: Tim Lopes
2B: Shed Long Jr.
CF: Braden Bishop
C: Joseph Odom
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